the last to know
by Fruityloo
Summary: murahimu week day 1: firsts & lasts. "A series of small revelations over the course of one chance encounter that just might lead to something big."


"Tatsuya!"

Before Kuroko can blink Kagami is already off running, and Kuroko wants to tell him that he should slow down because if he sweats in his heavy winter jacket now, he is going to be that much colder on their way home, but when the name he yelled registers and Kuroko sees two familiar faces further down the block, he understands why Kagami took off so quickly.

It takes him a while to catch up but when he does, Kagami and his friend are already deep in an animated conversation, Kagami's gestures all energetic and wide, the way they always get when he's excited about something.

Kuroko looked from Kagami to Himuro and back again; the smiles on both their faces (Himuro's a little softer, but the lines of his face still crinkling around the eyes; a genuine smile, just small. Kuroko could relate to that).

"Kagami-kun, Himuro-kun," they glanced down at him with a start, both wearing the _I only just realized you were there_ look Kuroko was so used to seeing. This time he felt it had less to do with him and more to do with the company, that Kagami and his fraternal brother have not seen each other in ages, all the bad blood washed away with years of school, only (mostly) fond memories standing the test of time. Kuroko understood that too; only fond memories of his days at Teiko remained (when the painful ones resurfaced, he challenged Kagami to a game of basket, and the loss that inevitably followed always lifted his spirits). Seeing Murasakibara at Himuro's side, Kuroko could only remember the sweets he carried with him, and not the way their basket never seemed to mesh.

"Why don't we get something to eat? It's cold." Kagami had removed his earmuffs in order to hear Tatsuya better, and the tips of his ears were chapped red from the wind. Murasakibara's nose looked a little worse for wear, too.

Himuro's face seems to jump, like he's surprised by the suggestion, but it falls back into a smile easily enough. It reaches his eyes even more than it did before. "Oh, I haven't had a proper chat with little Taiga too long."

Kagami didn't even bristle at the endearment.

Their fourth party, however, "But Murochin, were left the dorm to get candy. The store is right over there and it's closing soon," he took a step forward, one-track minded as ever. Himuro stopped him, gently but firmly, by laying a hand on his arm. Atsushi stops in an instant, petulant about not getting his junk food (some things never change, apparently) but not reluctant. Were Kuroko's face more expressive, he'd have raised an eyebrow.

"You're surprisingly obedient," he says just below his breath, puffing steam into the cool air, laughter in his voice. The Murasakibara he parted ways with all those years ago would stop at nothing short of an order from Akashi.

Interesting.

His comment wasn't meant to be heard but the next moment, Murasakibara is looking down at him with an expression akin to the one people wear when they're shocked with his sudden presence, eyes just a little less lidded than usual and a face much redder than what mere wind could ever accomplish.

"Oh."

Kuroko is the first to figure it out.

It seems a monumental thing, Kagami's brother and Kuroko's old friend, but the moment carries on as normal.

"Let's hit up the Maiji burger like old times!" Kagami's enthusiasm is palpable, warming up the cold winter evening.

"Kagami-kun that's on the other side of town."

* * *

><p>The cafe Tatsuya takes them to is cozy and warm, the local kind where the barista is friendly, the fireplace is real and burning and warm, and the music is some obscure, pleasant jazz. It's exactly the kind of cafe Himuro would spend his time in, Kagami thinks, looking over the names of drinks he can hardly pronounce.<p>

And of course, there are the cakes, displayed in plain but pretty chilled cases, a deep brown wood on top with clear glass sides that feels just as cool as the winter night to the touch. The pastries look delicious; flaky brown dough and powdered sugar and carefully placed strawberries. Kagami has a sneaking suspicion _this_ has something to do with Himuro's choice of cafe, too.

They order and find a table near the fireplace, shedding their jackets and scarves in the comfortable warmth, but as they settle down one of their part is missing. Sighing, Tatsuya looks up to the counter where Atsushi is still standing, admiring the cakes with a weird-ass glimmer in his eyes. Kagami hears Tatsuya sigh; a long-suffering sigh that sounds sort of familiar, the 'older-brother-knows-best' sigh he used to pull when they were kids.

"Just one, Atsushi." Murasakibara only grunts in response, but doesn't argue.

"Are you his mom?" Kagami asked with a teasing laugh, only to find himself jabbed in the ribs by a scowling Kuroko (Kagami can tell it's a scowl, though to the unsuspecting it looks to be no more than the basic frown. Kagami knows better by know). Tatsuya looks at him like he's just divined the future, all wide-eyed and mouth uncharacteristically dropped; only bit but it's still a rare expression for cold-head-hot-heat Himuro Tatsuya.

His cheeks are red even through the fireplace's orange glow. "If I don't watch his diet no one will," he says just as Atsushi makes his way to their table, carrying a plate topped with the biggest pastry the shop had to offer.

The plate carries two forks.

As Murasakibara and Tatsuya dig into the pastry together, Kagami becomes the second person to figure it out, and is none too quiet about it.

"So are you two, like, dating?"

He gets another elbow in the stomach.

Two forks drop at once.

As it turns out, Tatsuya and Atsushi are the last to know.


End file.
